Memorial Service is this evening and the "Celebration of Life" (PARTY) is tomorrow.

Dad visited the business office of the local hospital on Tuesday with Mom's death certificate in hand. He met the income threshold to have the debt they owed wiped clean. They have a fund set-up to cover such expenses for the poor. How much debt? Well, apparently, they were still making payments for Mom's mastectomy and chemo treatments from 13 years ago. Between that and her more recent hospital stay, the debt was over $12,000, or maybe I misheard and that $12K was just what they owed before the more recent stay. That wouldn't surprise me considering she went through months of chemo twice a week at four-figures per treatment.

He then visited hospital number 2 and hasn't heard back from them yet, but we think the debt there may also get wiped clean.

He still needs to contact a couple of debt collectors still trying to collect on unpaid bills that are in her name. Then he has to deal with the credit card bill that has been in arbitration for 4 years. That one he's going to make them a settlement offer and if they refuse, it'll just sit as he will refuse to pay them for her debt plus fees and interest. Said offer is to pay the original debt that was created when they (credit card company) misapplied a payment to the wrong bill. It's a touchy situation. But hey, his credit rating is so shot he doesn't care about them and I don't blame him.

If this all works out, Dad will be able to "semi-retire" and cut back his work hours to 20 per week. Between that and his SSN, he can make ends meet. That's a big sigh of potential relief for my siblings and me. We figured he'd have to work himself to the bone the rest of his life.